A Speedy Guide to 4G/LTE

Your Guide to 4G/LTE Products, Services and More

Introduction to 4G LTE

Recently, the terms "4G" and "LTE" are used frequently in the papers and on the Internet. What exactly is 4G LTE? What does it mean? How does it benefit you as a consumer?

Well, LTE stands for Long Term Evolution. To be precise, its full name is 3GPP Long Term Evolution for the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, or 3GPP UMTS LTE for short. Well, to put it simply, LTE is the next evolution of mobile networks which is expected to offer higher speeds and lower latencies. Commonly referred as the fourth generation (4G) mobile network, the LTE network delivers theoretical download speeds of up to 75Mbps.

Coverage Areas

All three telcos have launched their 4G LTE networks respectively although they are at different stages of deployment. SingTel is currently working to extend its 4G coverage to 80% by December 2012 and complete its island-wide rollout in early 2013.

On the other hand, M1 is the first in South East Asia to roll out a nationwide 4G network. StarHub's 4G network is limited to the Central Business District, Changi Airport and Singapore Expo. It will expand its 4G coverage to more than half the island by end of the year and is scheduled to complete nationwide coverage in 2013.

This week, all three telcos announced add-on options for new and re-contracting subscribers to increase the amount of data in their mobile plans. But who's giving you the most data for your dollar, and should you sign up now or wait for a fourth player to enter the market?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A with S Pen (8.0) and (9.7-inch) succeed the Galaxy Tab 4 series with thinner and lighter designs. They also come with an S Pen, a stylus once reserved for the flagship Galaxy Note series. Can Samsung redefine the entry-level tablet space with the Tab A using an S Pen? We find out in this review.

The Motorola Nexus 6 is Google's first attempt to offer a phablet device. It is also the first time in three years that Google priced its Nexus phone at the same level as other Android flagship smartphones. We find out if it has what it takes to go against some of its formidable competitors. Read on for the full review!

The YotaPhone 2 is no ordinary Android smartphone; it comes with not one, but two displays - one on the front, the other on the rear. The YotaPhone 2 also packs notable specs, but more importantly, is this the smartphone concept of the future? We find out!

As the first 64-bit smartphone from Xiaomi, the Redmi 2 has huge shoes to fill in the entry-level smartphone market. Armed with a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 quad-core 1.2GHz processor, MIUI 6 OS, a thinner, lighter chassis and a slightly bigger battery, can the Redmi 2 defend Xiaomi's turf?

The LG G Flex2 is the first Qualcomm Snapdragon 810-powered device to land in Singapore. Sporting a more manageable 5.5-inch curved display and ergonomic design, is the G Flex2 the Android smartphone to get this quarter? We find out in this review.

ASUS is taking the 8-inch tablet segment seriously with its MeMO Pad 8, which is powered by the latest Intel Atom 64-bit "Moorefield" processor and Android 4.4 KitKat. With the entry of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, is there still space for the ASUS MeMO Pad 8? We find out in this review.

With the 6-inch Ascend Mate 7, Huawei officially enters the premium phablet market which is dominated by the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, LG G3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The Chinese company also stepped up its game with the in-house HiSilicon Kirin 925 octa-core chipset, a rear fingerprint sensor and 4G LTE CAT 6 support. How does the Ascend Mate 7 fare against the competition? Find out in this review.